Kickstarter

Dreams of the Fallen

Led by new music enthusiast and respected pianist Jeffrey Biegel, a consortium of choirs and orchestras is being assembled for an exciting new commission of award-winning young composer Jake Runestad.  Combining the musical forces of solo piano, chorus, and orchestra with powerful texts written by Iraq War veteran and award-winning poet Brian Turner, the new work explores a soldier's emotional response to the experience of war.  In order for this work to come to life, funds are needed to help cover the composer's commissioning fee as well as engraving, score and parts creation, printing, and shipping fees for the participating ensembles.  

With your help, this new musical work will honor those who have served and been forever changed by the impact of war. 

Click here to find out more about Dreams of the Fallen.

Honor a Soldier

Supporters are encouraged to give donations in honor of a friend, family member, or loved one who has served or is currently serving in our armed services.  When donating, make a note of the person's name for whom you are honoring and that name will be included in the score.

Jake Runestad, composer

Award-winning composer Jake Runestad (b. 1986) is noted for his versatility and wide range of expressive capabilities with music driven by soaring melodies, driving rhythms, and lush textures.  Considered “highly imaginative” (Baltimore Sun) and “...a voice for the future of composition” (Jeffrey Biegel, pianist), Jake’s diverse musical experiences, spanning several continents, have inspired him to create music that captures the emotional vibrancy of life experiences while transcending diverse musical genres.  

A diverse composer, Mr. Runestad has a prolific output represented in many genres including music for wind band, chorus, orchestra, chamber ensembles, jazz ensemble, and opera.  Recent performances include I Will Lift Mine Eyes by the Grammy-nominated choir Seraphic Fire, As Rain to the Sea for soprano and orchestra conducted by Maestro Lee Mills - the Baltimore Symphony/Peabody Conducting Fellow, The Abbess and the Acolyte - a one-act opera workshopped and performed at the Virginia Arts Festival, and The Soul, Like the Moon by the Baltimore-based Lunar Ensemble - Maestra Gemma New, conductor.

Jake Runestad received a master’s degree in composition at the Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University where he studied with Kevin Puts.  He has also studied extensively with acclaimed composers Libby Larsen and Donald Fraser.  Mr. Runestad’s music is published by Boosey & Hawkes and Andas Media.

Find out more on Jake's website:  www.jakerunestad.com

Brian Turner, poet

Brian Turner, Iraq War veteran and award-winning poet, is the author of two poetry collections, Phantom Noise (2010) and Here, Bullet (2005) which won the 2005 Beatrice Hawley Award, the New York Times “Editor's Choice” selection, the 2006 Pen Center USA "Best in the West" award, and the 2007 Poets Prize, among others. Turner served seven years in the US Army, to include one year as an infantry team leader in Iraq with the 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division. Prior to that, he was deployed to Bosnia-Herzegovina in 1999-2000 with the 10th Mountain Division. 

Turner's poetry has been published in Poetry Daily, The Georgia Review, and other journals, and in the Voices in Wartime Anthology published in conjunction with the feature-length documentary film of the same name. Turner was also featured in Operation Homecoming, a unique documentary that explores the firsthand accounts of American servicemen and women through their own words. He earned an MFA from the University of Oregon and has lived abroad in South Korea. In 2009, Turner was selected as one of 50 United States Artists Fellows.

Find out more on Brian's website:  www.brianturner.org

Jeffrey Biegel, pianist 

 Jeffrey Biegel is one of today's most respected artists having created a multi-faceted career as a pianist, recording artist, composer and arranger. His electrifying technique and mesmerizing touch has received critical acclaim and garners praise worldwide. Known for his standard-setting performances of the standard repertoire, Mr. Biegel's performances to begin the 2011-12 season includes his adaptation of pop legend Neil Sedaka's 'Manhattan Intermezzo' for piano and orchestra with Orchestra Kentucky, and the World Premiere of Ellen Taaffe Zwilich's 'Shadows' for piano and orchestra, with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra leading the consortium project with several orchestras. His recent recordings include 'A Steinway Christmas Album' and, 'Bach On A Steinway' for the Steinway label, Leroy Anderson's 'Concerto in C', conducted by Leonard Slatkin with the BBC Concert Orchestra, Ellen Taaffe Zwilich's 'Millennium Fantasy' and 'Peanuts Gallery', a solo cd of Vivaldi's 'Four Seasons' for Naxos, 'Classical Carols' for Koch and the Complete Sonatas by Mozart on the E1 label. 

In 2010, he performed two world premieres with the Pacific Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Carl St. Clair: Richard Danielpour's 'Mirrors for Piano and Orchestra', and, William Bolcom's 'Prometheus for Piano, Orchestra and Chorus'. Mr. Biegel's 'Hanukah Fantasy' for SATB/piano, is published by the Hal Leonard Corporation, along with Lucas Richman's orchestral arrangement with choir, published by the LeDor Group. Mr. Biegel has also created Trio21, being joined with violinist Kinga Augustyn and cellist Robert deMaine. For their inaugural season 2011-12, they will perform a new work commissioned exclusively for Trio21 by the celebrated composer, Kenneth Fuchs and record the new composition for an all-Kenneth Fuchs project for the Naxos label.